Hams for the holidays

Published 12:00 am, Thursday, December 18, 2014

ALTON — The spirit of giving was in the air around Fast Eddie’s Bon Air Thursday morning.

Fast Eddie Sholar Jr. himself accompanied Alton Boys and Girls Club Director Al Womack Jr. as 200 hams were given to local people in need. The hams were bought and donated by Sholar, but Sholar said Womack is deserving of the credit.

“I bought the hams, and that really about sums it up,” Sholar said. “He does the work. We’ve been friends since we were little kids and he’s always been doing stuff like this to help people.”

Womack told the Telegraph that he screened applicants before they came to get the free hams.

“We wanted to get proof of residency as well as proof as income or lack of income,” Womack said. “We wanted to make sure the hams went to people in the Alton/Godfrey area that were most in need of them.”

The giveaway occurred in the parking lot of Fast Eddie’s Bon Air at 10 a.m., but Womack said that people were forming a line to get them when Womack and his crew arrived a little after 9 a.m.

“There are a lot of people out there who are working and still struggling,” Womack said. “We wanted to take away their worries of feeding at least during the holiday season.”

Womack said that he has worked with Sholar previously to help the community. He said past initiatives have included shopping sprees.

“Every year, Eddie calls me up and asks me what we can do to help the community,” Womack said. “We put our heads together and come up with something. This year, I said that people need fed.”

Sholar was reluctant to take credit for the efforts, citing Womack’s continuous service to the area.

“I’m just a conduit,” Sholar said. “I give him the resources he needs to do what he needs to do for others. He does a lot of stuff that people never hear about or see.”

During the giveaway, a few people who had not applied for a free ham asked if they could receive one. Womack assured them that if there were any left, he would gladly distribute them to those who had the patience and need. He added that he would like to take care of everyone who needs help this holiday season if he could.